Explosively actuated stud driving tool



Nov. 3, 1959 TEMPLE ETAL 2,910,701

. EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED STUD DRIVING TOOL Filed June 10, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIHHII I INVENTORS Panes-r TEM PLE 1 l" BY ERA/EST E- fimp 4, MW, wig/Am Nov. 3, 1959 R. TEMPLE ETAL EXELOSIVELY ACTUATED STUD DRIVING TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m M HN Mi i ' I I III INVENTORS ROBERT 7Z=M LF w% W s E w a w" W 2 Q am Hi HHW Filed June 10. 1957 Q Q m T Nov. 3, 1959 TEMPLE ETAL EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED STUD DRIVING TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 10, 1957 llllll INVENTORS l e-07' 7514A;

Nov. 3, 1959 2,910,701

- EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED STUD DRIVING TOOL 7 R1 TEMPLE ET AL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 10, 1957 S F. R w m EaM P g T a i. T a Z w E E 8 H United States- Patent 2,910,701 EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED'STUD DRIVING TOOL Robert Ternple; Murraysville, and Ernest E.'Temple, Swissvale, Pa, assignors; by mesne assignments, to MineSafety Appliances f Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania [Application June 10, 1957, Serial No. 664,517

13 Claims. (Cl. 14-106 This invention relates to explosively actuated tools for driving fastening members, and more particularly to such a tool for driving studs.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an explosively actuated driving tool which cannot be operated accidentally, which is easy to load and unload, which permits barrels of two different sizes to be used, which is compact and easy to handle, in which all of the parts are permanently connected together, in which the act of properly using the tool renders the safety featureinoperative so thatthe tool will fire, and in which the tool is prepared for firing by merely rotating part of it a half turn.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the tool;

Fig. 2 is a side viewthereof;

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary side view showing the tool ready for use;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig.5 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line V-.-V of Fig.3;

Fig .61 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts ofthe tool in firing position, but with the cartridge and stud removed for, the sake of clearness;

Fig. 7 is a'n enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken mainly through the handle and firing mechanism;

,Fig. 8 isan end view of the handle end of the tool; Fig. 9 is an end view of the muzzle end of the tool; Figs 10, 11, 12 and 13 are cross sections taken on the lines X-"-X, XIXI, XII--XII and XIIIXIII, respectively, of Fig. 4; and

Figs. 14 and 15 are cross sections taken on the lines XIV-XIV and XV-XV of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, a cup-like stock 1 is joined to thefront end of a handle 2. The handle is offset laterally from the axis of the stock, as shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9. Rigidly mounted in the stock is the solid rear end of a hollow cylindrical housing 3 that is open at its front end. Slidably. and rotatably mounted in the housing'is a plunger 4 that normally may project a short distance from the front end of the housing and has its rear end spaced from-the back of the housing. The front 'end portion of the plunger is reduced in diameter to provide a radialshoulder 6 a short distance behind the front end of the housing; Forward movement. of the plunger in the ho using is limited by this shoulder engaging a coupling ring 7 that is screwed'into the housing and that projectsja short distance in front of it. The ring may be encircled .by an integral fiange 8 that engages the front end with a head 14 on its rear end, extends 'slidably through the bushing and has its front end screwed into a ring 15 thatengages the front end of the coupling ring; The ring 15 is eccentric because it has an opening 17 through'it in axial alignment with passage 10 through the plunger. The stud is encircled by a coil spring 18 compressed between its head and bushing 12, whereby the eccentric ring is held' against the coupling ring, and the plunger is urged forward so that its shoulder 6 will be in contact with the coupling ring. The eccentric ring 15 is locked in the rear end portion of a tube 19 by means of screws 20 that extend through the wall of the tube and into the ring as shown in Fig. .10. The tube also encircles the coupling ring and is rotatable on it. The passage through the tube is off center and is aligned with the passage through the plunger.

Extending through the plunger and tube 19 and projecting from the front end of the latter is a barrel, which preferably consists of a barrel body 22 encircled at its front end by a head 23. The head is held in place by a split spring ring 24 mounted in a peripheral groove in the barrel body and normally expanded into a similar groove inside the head. To provide positive support for a greater length of the barrel, a supporting sleeve 26 may be screwed into the front end of the plunger passage and extend forward through the eccentric ring opening 17. Since the barrel is slidably mounted in the plunger and sleeve, it is normally retained in them by a split spring ring 27 mounted in a peripheral groove of the barrel and expanded into a similar groove inside the sleeve. Rearward movement of the barrel in the plunger is also limited by engagement of a shoulder 28, integral with the barrel, with the front end of the sleeve. The rear end of the bore through the barrel is enlarged slightly to form a cartridge chamber 29 to receive a cartridge 30 (Figs. 4 and S), to the front end of which a stud 31 may be detachably connected in a well-known manner.

With the parts in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the cartridge chamber is located beside a lateral opening 33 in housing '3 so that the chamber is readily accessible from the side of the tool. The solid rear part of the housingand the stock are also cut away, as shown in Fig. 8, to provide room for lining up a stud and cartridge with the barrel so that they can be inserted in it. The plunger 4 cannot be moved axially in the housing when they are in this position because such movement is prevented by a cap screw 34 extending through the side of the housing and'into an annular groove 35 encircling the plunger. However, after the plunger has been rotated to firing position, a longitudinal slot 36 in the outside of it is lined up with the cap screw as shown in Fig. 5. Ac the slot extends forward, the housing can be moved forward on the plunger or, conversely, the plunger can be moved backward in the housing. The plunger is rotated by turning tube 19 relative to the housing, because the tube and plunger are connected through eccentric ring 15 and sleeve 26 and the barrel, and also through stud'13 and bushing 12. Rotation of the barrel in opposite directions is limited by a pair of stop pins 37 projecting radially from the plunger into annular groove 35, as shown in Fig. 12. One or the other of these pins will strike the cap screw and stop rotation of the plunger after it has turned .180".

It is highly desirable to provide this tool with a special breechblock that is in the form of a heavy metal plate 40 located in housing 3 behind the plunger and spaced from it. As shown in Fig. 15, the breechblock is cut away at one side so that it will not cover the cartridge chamber in loading position. The rest of the breechblock is integrally joined with a ring 41 that encircles the plunger and that is screw-threaded onto it. 'The rear portion of the ring is provided with a longitudinal slot 42 that receives the inner end of a pin 43 extending e 2,910,701 I A through the side of the housing so that the breechblock can move lengthwise of the housing without rotating in it. The screw threads areso arranged that when the barrel is swung from loading position around to a point 180 away, as shown in Fig. 5, the breechblock will be drawn forward toward the. plunger to hold a cartridge securely in chamber 29. The breechblock ring is provided with a radial opening 44 for receiving part of a spring-pressed ball 45 when the plunger is in firing 'poSition. The ball projects from a radial bore 46 in the side of the plunger.

The tool may also be provided with a cartridge extractor, which preferably is a bar 50 that extends across the rear end of the plunger in front of the breechblock. As shown in Fig. 13, the bar is provided with a notch 51 so that it will fit part way around a. cartridge in the cartridge chamber, and it also is recessed at 52 for receiving part of the cartridge flange. The bar has its opposite ends joined to a ring 53 that is slidably and rotatably mounted on the plunger inside the breechblock ring. A

' split ring 54 in the breechblock ring engages the front end of the extractor ring to hold the extractor bar against the breechblock behind it. Consequently, the extractor has to move back and forth with the breechblock, so that when the latter is moved away from the plunger when the plunger is turned, the extractor will pull the cartridge part way out of the chamber. The two different positions of the extractor and cartridge relative to the plunger are shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

One of the features of this invention is that barrels having bores of two different sizes can be used, so that cartridges of different calibers can be employed.- When it is desired to change barrels, the rear end of the barrel in loading position is pushed forward to overcome the resistance of spring ring 27 and then the barrel is pulled out of the front end of the tool. The other barrel is then inserted in the front of the tool and pushed back until ring 27 snaps into place. Barrel head 23 is removed from the first barrel and placed on the second one. As a cartridge that will fit in the new barrel will not fit in notch 51 of the extractor, the extractor ring is rotated 180 on the plunger to position a notch 56 in the op posite side of bar 50 behind the barrel. This notch is the correct size for the cartridges that will be used with the new barrel. To facilitate turning the extractor ring, its periphery may be provided with circumferentially spaced grooves 57 to receive the end of a screwdriver or the like. The extractor ring is normally held in either of its two operating positions by means of a spring-pressed ball 58 projecting from a radial bore 59 in the plunger into a depression 60 in the inner surface of'the ring.

In order to fire the cartridge after the barrel has been swung into firing position, a firing pin is mounted in the solid rear end portion of housing 3. The firing pin consists of a point 62 projecting from the front end of a cylindrical body 63 that is slidably mounted in a forwardly extending bore 64 in the back of the housing. The point normally extends through a small opening 65 that connects the front end of the bore with the open space behind the breechblock. This opening is in axial alignment with the barrel. A coil spring 66 is compressed between the firing pin body and the back of the stock to urge the pin forward. The point of the firing pin is long enough to also project through a hole 67 through the breechblock when the block is inengagement with the back Wall of the housing, as it is when the head of the barrel is pressed against a stationary object and then the housing is pushed forward on the plunger to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The firing pin may be prevented from turning by a positioning pin 68'projecting radially from it down into a slot 69-extending along the bottom of housing bore 64.

Projecting from the top of 'a radial bore in the firing pin body is a release pin '71 that is urged upwardly by means of a coil spring 72. The upper end of the release pin is movable lengthwise of the tool in a slot 73 extending along the top of bore 64. The front end of this slot communicates with the space in the housing behind the breechblock, so that a cocking pin 74 projecting from the back of the breechblock can enter the slot and engage the front of the release pin. This happens when the housing is pushed forward on the plunger, and the result is to prevent the firing pin from moving forward with the housing, whereby the firing pin, in effect, is retracted into the back of the housing as shown in Figs.

6 and 7.

In order to release the firing pin so that it can be driven forward by the spring behind it to detonate a cartridge in the barrel, a trigger 76 is provided. This trigger is slidably mounted in a vertical slot 77 in the upper rear part of the handle. Its backward movement is limited by a pin 78 that extends through an enlarged hole 79 in the trigger. .The upper end of the trigger is rigidly mounted on the rear end of a rod 81 that extends for ward through the upper part of the handle and into a bore 82 in the housing. The rod is slidably mounted in those two members and is encircled in the handle by a coil spring 83, which presses against a collar 84 on the rod normally in engagement with the back of the housing. Near its front end, the bottom of the rod is provided with a notch having an inclined front cam surface 86. Disposed in this notch is the upper part of a lever 87 that can move vertically in a slot 88 in the housing and down into slot 73. As shown in Fig. 14, the opposite end of the lever is mounted on a pivot pin 89 in the 7 housing. The lever is urged upward by a spring-pressed pin 90 slidably mounted in a bore 91 in the housing.

. The release pin 71 normally is in front of the location of lever 87, but when the firing pin is in retracted position the top of the release pin is below the free end of the lever as shown in Fig. 7. Consequently, when the trigger is pulled back, the cam surface 86 on rod 81 forces the lever to swing downward to press the release pin down below cocking pin 74. As soon as the release pin clears the rear end of the cooking pin, the firing pin,

is driven forward by spring 66. With this arrangement, even though the firing pin is cocked by dropping the tool on its muzzle, the firing pin will not bereleased because the trigger will not be actuated. Consequently, the tool cannot be fired accidentally. Of course, it cannot be fired in any manner unless the barrel has been swung around to firing position to locate the cartridge in front of the firing pin.

Due to the cartridge being located in the barrel, and to the breechblock not being joined to thebarrel, but to plunger 4 in which the barrel is disposed, firing of the cartridge has no tendency to move the barrel lengthwise. Therefore, it can be slidably mounted in the plunger, with only spring ring 27 to prevent it from sliding out.

It is highly desirable to use with this type of tool a shield to protect the operator from pieces of concrete or the like that may chip off when a stud is driven into a wall or floor. Accordingly, a shield 95, which is described in detail and claimed in our copending patent application Serial No. 665,221, filed June 12, 1957, encircles the barrel head 23 and is rigidly mounted 'on the front end of a sleeve 96 rotatably mounted -in tube 19 and fitting around the rear end of the barrel head. The rear end of the sleeve is provided with an annular groove 97, into which projects a plug 98 disposed in a radial hole in the tube. The sleeve can be rotated so that the flat edge of the shield can be located in any desired position relative to the handle of the tool, but the plug prevents the sleeve from being removed from the tube. The shield is held in any position by a spring 99 compressed between it and the front of the tube. To prevent removal .of the plug, a headedpin 100 extends lengthwise through the wall of the tube from eccentric ring 15 and through the plug. V v

To summarize the operation of the tool disclosed herein, a combined cartridge and stud are inserted in the rear end of the barrel while it is exposed beside housing opening 33; Then the tube 19 is rotated a half turn to rotate the plunger. As the barrel is carried around 180,by the plunger, the breechblock moves forward against the rear end of the cartridge and clamps it in place. The head of the barrel is then placed against the object that is to receive the stud, and the handle is pushed forward to move the back wall of theihousing against thehbreechblock. This movement simultaneously. cocks the firing pin, so that upon squeezing the trigger, the .tool will be fired and the stud will be driven through the barrel and into the object in front of it. Rotationiof .the plunger in the opposite direction exposes the spent cartridge, which ispulled part way out of the cartridge chamber by the extractor. It is then an easy matter to remove the cartridge and insert a new cartridge and stud.

According to'the provisions of the patent statues, we have explained the principle of our invention and have illustrated and describedwhat we .now. consider .to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a cylindrical housing supported by the stock and extendingforward therefrom, a plunger rotatably and slidably mounted inthe housing and provided with a passage extending lengthwise through it at one side of its axis, the plunger being movable relative to the housing between forward and rear positions, resilient means normally holding the plunger in its forward position in the housing, a barrel mounted in said plunger passage and projecting from its front end, the rear end of the barrel being provided with a cartridge chamber, said housing being provided with an opening giving access to the cartridge chamber to permit loading, a firing pin movably carried by the housing behind the plunger and projecting forward in a position offset from the barrel when the latter is in loading position, a spring urging the firing pin forward, the barrel and cartridge chamber being alignable with the firing pin when the plunger is rotated part of a complete revolution and the housing then being movable by the stock forward on the plunger when the front end of the barrel is held stationary, means supported by the plunger and engageable with the firing pin during said forward movement of the housing to cock the firing pin, and manually operable means for releasing the firing pin from said cocking means while the plunger is in its rear position in the housing, whereby said spring will drive the released pin forward to fire a cartridge in said chamber.

2. A tool according to claim 1, including means holding said plunger against axial movement in the housing except when the barrel is aligned with the firing pin.

3. A tool according to claim 1, in which said plunger is provided with an annular groove and a longitudinal slot extending forward from the groove, and a projection extends from the housing into the annular groove, said projection and slot being aligned only when the barrel is aligned with the firing pin.

4. A tool according to claim 1, in which the barrel is provided with a peripheral groove, and a split spring ring is disposed in the groove for removably securing the barrel in said plunger.

5. A tool according to claim 1, including a breechblock slidably disposed in the housing behind the plunger and spaced therefrom and disposed at one side of said cartridge chamber when it is accessible through said housing opening, a ring joined to the breechblock and threaded on the plunger, and means holding the ring against rotation, whereby when the plunger is turned the breechtor and slidably mounted on the plunger inside said breechblock ring, and means holding the extractor against the front of the breechblock so that .they will moveforward and backward together, the extractor ring being rotatable on the plunger to position another surface of the extractor beside said plunger passage when a different barrel is inserted therein.

a 8. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a cylindrical housing supported by the stock and extending forward therefrom, a plunger rotatably and slidably mounted in the housing and provided with a passage extending lengthwise through it at one side of its axis, the plunger being movable relative to the housing between forward and rear positions, resilient means normally holding the plunger in its forward position in the housing, a tube projecting from the front end of said housing and having its'passage axially aligned with said plunger passage, a barrel mounted in the plunger passage and slidably mounted in the tube and projecting from the front end of the tube, the rear end of the barrel being provided with a cartridge chamber, the tube being rotatable on the same axis as the plunger to rotate the plunger and barrel, said housing being provided with an opening giving access to the cartridge chamber to permit loading, a firing pin movably carried by the housing behind the plunger and projecting forward in a position offset from the barrel when the latter is in loading position, a spring urging the firing pin forwards, the barrel and cartridge chamber being alignable with the firing pin when the tube is rotated part of a complete revolution and the housing then being movable by the stock forward on the plunger when the front end of the barrel is held stationary, means supported by the plunger and engageable with the firing pin during said forward movement of the housing to cock the firing pin, and manually operable means for releasing the firing pin from said cocking means while the plunger is in its rear position in the housing, whereby said spring wil drive the released pin forward to fire a cartridge in said chamber.

9. A tool according to claim 8, including a coupling ring mounted in said housing for limiting forward movement of said plunger and projecting forward from the housing, the rear end of said tube being rotatably mounted on said ring.

10. A tool according to claim 8, including a sleeve rotatably mounted in said tube and projecting from its front end, and a shield encircling the projecting front end of the barrel and rigidly mounted on the front end of the sleeve.

11. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a stock, a cylindrical housing supported by the stock and extending forward therefrom, a plunger rotatably and slidably mounted in the housing and provided with a passage extending lengthwise through it at one side of its axis, the plunger being movable relative to the housing between forward and rear positions, a tube projecting from the front end of said housing and having its passage axially aligned with said plunger passage, the front end of the plunger being provided with a bore parallel to its passage, a stud rigidly mounted in said tube and projecting into said bore, a coil spring encircling the stud and compressed thereon to normally urge the tube a'ndplunger toward each other, -a barrelmounted in the plunger passage and slida-bly mounted in the tube and projecting from the front end of the tube, the rear end of the barrel being provided with a cartridge chamber, the tube being rotatable on the same axis as the plunger to rotate the plunger and barrel, said housing "being pro vided with an opening giving access to the cartridge chamber to permit loading, a firing pin movabl-y carried by the housing behind the plunger and projecting forward in a position offset from the barrel when the latter is'in loading position a spr-ing urging the firing pin forward, the barrel and cartridge chamber being alignable with the firing pin when the tube is-rotated part of a complete revolution fa-nd the housing then being movable by the stock forward on the plunger'when the front end of the bar-rel is held "stationary, means supported by the plunger and engageable with the firing pin during said forward movement of the housing to cock the firing pin, and manually operable means for releasing the fir 20 ing pin from said cocking means while the plunger is in its rear position in the housing, whereby said spring will drive the released pin forward to firea-eartr'idge in said chamber. 7

12'.- A tool according to claim I-I, including an ac centric ring engaging the front end of :said plunger and encircling the barrel, and means rigidly mounting the ring in said tube, the front end of said stud "being secured in the ring.

13. An explosively actuated driving tool comprising a 30 stock, a cylindrical housing supported by the stock and extending forward therefrom, a plunger rotatably and slidabl-y mounted in the housing :and provided with a passage extending lengthwise through it at one side of its axis, the plunger being inovablerelative to the housing between for-ward and rear positions, resilient means normally holding the plunger in its forward position in the 'housin'g'ya barrel mounted in said plunger passage and projecting from its front end, the rear .endof. the barrel being provided with a cartridge chamber, said housing being provided with an opening giving access to the'cartridge chamber to permit loading, a firing pin movably carried by the housing behind the plunger and projecting forward in a position offset from the barrel when the latter is in loading position, a spring urging the firing pin forward, the barrel being alignable with the firing pinwhen the plunger is rotated part of a complete revolution and the housing then being movable by the stock forward on the plunger when the front end of the barrel is held stationary, a rearwardly projecting pin in back of the plunger and supported thereby for arresting the firing pin when the stock is moved forward, triggeractuated means for releasing the firing pin from said arresting pin, and aspring for driving the released pin forward to fire a cartridge in said chamber. I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Mar. 16, 1955 

